Brazil sees record growth in inland cargo transportation in 2023

Between January and June this year, cargo transport through inland routes in Brazil reached 66.46 million tonnes, setting a record for this period compared to previous years. This story is based on data available at the Waterway Statistics Panel developed by the National Waterway Transport Agency (ANTAQ).

The 66.46 million tonnes figure represents an impressive surge of nearly 11% compared to the first half of 2021, which was previously a record year for cargo transport via inland routes. Furthermore, compared to 2022, this number demonstrates a remarkable increase of 13.3%, as 58.67 million tonnes were transported through inland routes during the same period last year.

The driving force behind this record-breaking performance was the transportation of soybeans and corn. Over 26.6 million tonnes of soybeans were hauled, up 33% compared to the same period in the preceding year.

Conversely, corn emerged as the commodity with the greatest percentage growth between January and June, marking a substantial increase of 57% compared to the same period in 2022. The total volume of the goods transported was 4.6 million tonnes.

Another area of focus is the transportation of bauxite, which saw the movement of 8.9 million tonnes during this period. This figure implies a growth of 6.4% compared to 2022.

Hydrographic Regions

The Amazon hydrographic region stands out from all others, having transported 40.67 million tons between January and June 2023. This represents a positive variation of 14.5% compared to the same period in the previous year. Additionally, this hydrographic region accounted for more than half of all transportation via inland routes.

The Paraguay hydrographic region marked the most significant percentage growth throughout this period, experiencing an impressive 61.7% increase (with over 4.3 million tonnes transported). In the Tocantins-Araguaia hydrographic region, responsible for just over a third of all transport within the period, 25.3 million tonnes were transported, an increase of 8.8% compared to the first six months of the previous year.

Public Ports

The Port of Santarém stood out in inland cargo transportation, handling over 4.87 million tonnes in the first half of 2023. This represents a significant 44.6% increase over 2022. Soy and corn remain the most common commodities passed through this port.

Long-haul navigation on inland waterways contributed to over 30.1 million tonnes between January and June, marking a 14.87% increase. Meanwhile, Inland Navigation showcased the transportation of 24.5 million tonnes, reflecting a positive variation of 21.88% compared to the same period in 2022. However, Cabotage on inland routes experienced a decrease of 4.3%, transporting a total of 11.7 million tonnes.

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